Why is my cat not covering poop or using the litter box properly?

There are a few things to consider; some cats will go in the corner of the litter box, so they end up hanging their tush over the edge and it goes out of the box. You could try a litter box with a cover or with high sides to see if that helps. The size of the box and ease of entry is something else to consider. If she is still small enough that she has to leap into something that she can't see into, getting in the box may be a bit daunting. Make sure the has an approachable entry for her. Also consider if you changed the type or brand of cat litter. Some cats can be very picky. Go back to the old brand if you have switched. If you have not made a change it cat litter, you can also try a cat litter called Cat Attract-- its a brand of cat litter that most cats accept very well. Another thing to keep in mind is other cats and the location of the boxes. If you have multiple cats, make sure that you have enough litter boxes. If you have 2 cats, have 3 boxes. If you have 4 cats, have 5 boxes. I know that seems like a lot, but its the best way to prevent negative cat interactions near a litter box, and avoid them feeling territorial. If you have an older cat, the box may have been "occupied" when she needed to go, or she may have been intimidated by the other cat being nearby and didn't want to get in a confrontation. To be thorough, I would also recommend that you take her to your vet to see if there's any medical issue going on that could be contributing. Take a stool sample with you. If she has intestinal parasites or other causes of inflammation in her intestine, she could be having some urgency that doesn't allow her to quite get into the box. Also, if she is painful somewhere, she may be trying to avoid getting up into the box. I hope that helps you. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi, most issues with the litter tray are related to having a litter that it is too small or not cleaned as frequently enough. Apart from getting a bigger tray you could try adding some leaves and dirt to make it look more natural, also make sure that it is a place where she feels safe when going and can’t be disturbed when “performing” :-) hope this helps !

Hello, sorry to hear about Om. There are a couple of things that can contribute to this. Primarily have 1 litter box per cat and then an additional one is a must. Having the litter boxes in a private area also helps. Finally, trying different types of litter is another thing to consider. Here are some tips on litter box use what may cause inappropriate eliminations. Hope this helps and best of luck. Feline inappropriate elimination is a common behavioral problem. Many owners may become frustrated trying to cope with this problem. Help is available. Because inappropriate elimination is associated with an increased risk of relinquishment to shelters, treatment should be sought early on. Contact your veterinarian or local animal behaviorists for additional help. What is inappropriate elimination? Inappropriate elimination is the deposition of urine or feces outside the litterbox. Cats displaying inappropriate elimination may either be eliminating in the wrong area, or exhibiting marking/spraying behavior as well. Inappropriate Elimination vs. Spraying / Marking? Urine marking is a distinct problem separate from inappropriate elimination. These two behaviors are similar and can often be confused by owners. Urine marking is most common in intact males, but a relatively large proportion of cats will display this problem. Reasons why your cat may be eliminating inappropriately: Medical: A number of medical conditions may contribute to and intensify house-soiling problems. Kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases can cause increased drinking and increased urination. Inflammation of the urinary tract can result in painful or frequent urination, or inability to urinate. Once a cat associates the litterbox with urinary difficulty, he or she may be reluctant to return. Animals may also experience age-related changes (arthritis, loss of vision or sense of smell, senility) that alter normal litterbox habits. A complete physical examination, plus other recommended diagnostic tests by your veterinarian is necessary to rule out and treat medical problems. Substrate, Litterbox or Location Aversions and Preferences Cats may find fault with the chosen litter substrate, litterbox location, and/or the litterbox itself. Dirty or artificially-scented litter is often distasteful to cats. Litter texture may also be unappealing– most cats prefer fine, sand-like clumping litter, while some prefer coarse, non- clumping litter or soft substrates, such as towels. There are many reasons litterbox location may be offensive, such as close proximity to highly-trafficked areas, feeding areas, loud noises such as washing machines and dryers, and other pets (particularly if they terrorize or ambush).The actual litterbox(s) may be too small, insufficient in number, contain harsh odors or aversive plastic liners, or have sides that are too high– a particular problem for kittens and geriatric cats. Cats with a preference for an inappropriate substrate or location may still continue to use their litterbox, but inconsistently.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding King. I recommend having a minimum of three litter boxes for two cats. Cats typically prefer uncovered boxes and they to be quite large. The boxes should be in separate, quiet places for him to feel safe using them. You can try a new litter substrate in one box to see if he prefers something different. I hope this information helps!

This can be a difficult problem to figure out. Some cats prefer to urinate in one litter box and defecate in another, so if he only has access to one box the first thing I’d recommend is adding a second box. If you haven’t tried Dr Elsey’s Cat Attract litter it may be worth trying that specific brand. Finally, if he seems to prefer fabric you could try lining a litter pan with a disposable potty pad. If at any point his stool doesn’t look normal (i.e. If you see diarrhea, mucous, blood or if it seems very firm) I’d recommend rechecking with your vet. Good luck!

This may have been just a one time thing for Dana so I wouldn't worry too much yet. I'd suggest ensuring good litter box habits by: 1) cleaning the litter at least once daily (twice if you can) 2) keeping the litter level at least 4-6 inches deep 3) making sure the litter box is very large to ensure Dana has a lot of room to move around and cover her feces 4) Make sure the litter box is in quiet area so Dana won't be disturbed when going to the bathroom. I suspect that if you take the above steps Dana will likely start covering her poop again. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and good luck!

Poor Buddy! This could be his personality and not want to be around other cats. There could also be another cat that is "picking" on him. Cats are very finicky. Any small amount of stress can cause them to stop using the litter box. A new cat outside (even if they are strictly indoors), construction around the house, new people/pets in or out of the house, the owners being at home more or less than usual, a dirty litter box, loud noises near the litter box, not enough litter boxes, and many more reasons why they may not use the litterbox. There are several recommendations I have that may help improve litterbox usage: 1. Follow the rule: a litter box per cat +1 extra litterbox. This means if you have 2 cats, I would recommend 3 litter boxes. I totally understand that if you have 3-4 cats, that having 4-5 litter boxes gets a little crowded, but I would strongly encourage as many litter boxes as you can handle. 2. Try not put litter boxes in any high traffic areas, where dogs can interrupt them doing their “business” or where any loud noises may occur and startle them (example: washer/dryer). 3. Scoop the litter box daily and change the litter out every few days. 4. THOROUGHLY clean where they have urinated with not only a cleaner but also a deodorizer because even if you cannot smell the urine, they usually can still smell it and it eventually becomes their “spot”. 5. If they continue to use their inappropriate “spot”, try putting the litter box close to or on top of that area and see if they will start using the litter box again (even if it is in a more high traffic area). If so, slowly start moving the litter box every few days closer to the appropriate area. 6. Try adding Feliway diffusers throughout the house. These are feline pheromones (only the cat can smell them) which sometimes help some cats feel “happier”. It doesn’t work on ALL cats, but it does work on some. If all of this fails and he continues to seem really nervous, I would talk to your vet about giving him an anti-anxiety medicine like amitryptilline. I have had good success with this in cats. You may never be able to make him a super social cat as this is likely his personality, but hopefully you can get his to properly use the litterbox. I hope this helps!